Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a member of the herpes virus family, infects people of all age and establishes in its hosts a life-long latent infection. Although causing few symptoms in healthy hosts, HCMV infection can be life-threatening in hosts having a weak immune system, e.g., infants, AIDS patients, leukemia patients, and organ transplant recipients.
At present, there are no satisfactory treatments for HCMV infection. Some anti-HCMV drugs, e.g., ganciclovir and valganciclovir, exhibit serious side effects. Others, e.g., CMV-IGIV (Cytogam), showed inconsistent efficacy. Further, vaccines against CMV infection are still in the research stage. Thus, there is a need for a safer and more effective anti-HCMV drug.